Themed collection Sustainable Energy and Fuels Recent Review Articles

Next-generation electro-bioreactors will require development of novel reactor-tailored components to improve reactor productivity while maintaining high energy efficiency and biocompatible reactor conditions.

Food waste is a global problem, causing significant environmental harm and resulting in substantial economic losses globally.

We consider energy density, toxicity, emissions, ease of handling, and flammability and find that with a possible exception in marine applications the outlook for future use of ammonia as a transportation fuel is poor.

An overview of the advantages and challenges of photocatalytic water splitting is provided to encourage new research directions mainly on data reproducibility and photocatalyst scalability.

2D composite materials are widely used because of their excellent properties. In this review, several popular 2D composite materials are introduced for NRR.

Dye solar cell based on Cu coordination complex as redox mediator and carbon counter electrode.

An emerging layered BiO_2−x is becoming hot as an efficient photocatalyst. The status, challenges and outlook for this popular photocatalyst are summarized and discussed in this perspective.

This review summarizes the recent progress and reasonable designs of Fe-MOF derivatives as electrodes and electrocatalysts in various batteries.

An algal biorefinery solution is proposed to solve the challenges in the food–energy–water–environment nexus. The integration of algal biorefinery with the FEWE nexus is a sustainable and economically viable approach for microalgae cultivation scale-up.

High-protein algae bioproduct system boundaries for environmental sustainability risk analysis.

Catalytic pyrolysis is a promising thermochemical method to upgrade the fuel property of bio-oil through the deoxygenation of volatiles obtained from the pyrolysis of biomass.

This review comprehensively summarizes the recent advances in developing nanostructured metal selenides as potassium-ion battery anodes and presents a perspective on future opportunities in this field.

The Ti-based PTL materials used in PEMWEs are reviewed. A compendium of attributes of PTLs is established. Impact of the PTL/CL interface on cell performance is examined. Correlation between the PTL properties and cell performance is investigated.

Production of green energy is important considering the depletion of fossil fuels and increase in greenhouse gases. Light harvesting T-metal complexes with earth abundant T-metal photocatalysts show promising ways of producing green energy.

This review highlights recent advances in the photoelectrocatalytic reduction of CO₂ into fuels and chemicals over p-type silicon nanowire array based photoelectrodes.

Centralized (left) and distributed (right) hydrogen production technologies using steam methane reforming are critically reviewed by capacity.

The significant aspects in the downhole catalytic cracking upgrading and viscosity reduction of heavy oil are to develop industrial hydrogen donors with a strong hydrogen supply effect, abundant sources, reasonable price, and environmentally friendly nature.

Regenerative cooling paired with catalytic cracking of hydrocarbons can address thermal management and efficient fuel combustion in supersonic air streams, as a sustainable approach in developing high-speed flight vehicles.

The discharge of CO₂ into the atmosphere has become a crucial issue for mankind and a great threat to the environment due to the escalating consequences of global warming.

Electrode materials with exceptional cyclic stability and high-rate performance have been in extensive demand for the fast growth of energy storage applications.

The activation of the chemically inert basal plane of 2H-MoS2 can be achieved by inducing pores and generating vacancies by several other techniques toward enhanced electrocatalytic HER activity.

There is growing worldwide interest in developing lithium ion batteries with high energy densities and longer cycle life.

This review summarizes the research progress on lithium dendrites and SEIs on lithium metal anodes based on various characterization techniques and potential strategies to develop safe lithium metal batteries.

The review focuses on the alkali metal hexacyanoferrates (AMHCFs) as cathodes for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) and potassium-ion batteries (KIBs) for sustainable and economic Li-free future energy storage solutions.

The search for sustainable routes for the production of C₃ chemicals by using renewable feedstocks has attracted significant interest from academic and industrial communities to alleviate the shortage of fossil fuels.

Standardized process simulation approach for techno-economic and carbon footprint evaluation of large scale oxymethylene ether production accounting for the complexity of the reactive formaldehyde containing system.

In this review, developments and challenges related to scaling up of PSCs are discussed. This work touches the aspects of scalable deposition methods, technical challenges, costs, and large area perovskite single and tandem devices.

A survey of physical phenomena in the modeling literature and challenges for accelerating development of LiS batteries using continuum models.

This review summaries recent development across electro-, photoelectro- and bioelectro-catalyst developments for multi-carbon products from CO₂. It also explores the role of device design and operating conditions in enabling C–C bond generation.

Investigation on seawater-based electrocatalyst is demanding to enrich the hydrogen economy. The understanding of kinetic, thermodynamic, and the effect of key parameters helps to overcome the difficulties related to sea water electrolysis.

MXene is one of the rapidly emerging 2D material in the present era of materials science, and it finds increasing applications in energy storage fields. MXene is one of the most suitable electrode materials for futuristic energy storage devices.

Recent separator engineering in lithium metal batteries is classified into four parts: optimizing the performance of polyolefin membranes; controlling the dendrite growth direction; developing a novel separator material; introducing a functional multilayer membrane.

A deep review of the state-of-the-art of Redox Flow Batteries (RFBs), a technology that aims to become the leading stationary energy storage, covering individual components, economic analysis and characterization techniques.

A comprehensive overview is presented of recent developments as well as trends of carbon-resistant anode materials using hydrocarbon as fuel.

In this review we focus on the recent progress and current trends in biomass carbon-based composites containing mono-, bi- and trimetallic metal oxides and hydroxides for supercapacitor applications.

In this review, recent advancement on the MgCo₂O₄-based electrode materials for supercapacitors, Li-ion battery, Mg-ion battery, and some other rechargeable ion batteries is discussed in details.

Progress in use of carbon materials, particularly those prepared from bio-sourced precursors, as electrodes for energy conversion & storage, separately, and in combining supercapacitors & solar cells in one single system.

In this review, we summarize the recent progress of dual functional materials application in integrated CO₂ capture and utilization and discuss the superiority of the integrated process from the perspective of industrial applications.

This review comprehensively outlines the recent developments of the decorated g-C₃N₄ for solar fuels production, particularly emphasizing on the modification strategies that improve the photocatalytic activity and its optoelectronic properties.

An illustrative diagram of a biophotovoltaic system highlights its main components and several steps of electron transport.

The photosensitivity of the active site of hydrogenases is an opportunity for studying its reactivity. However, the photoinhibition of certain hydrogenases may have a negative impact on H₂ photoproduction.

Lignocellulosic biomass conversion is contextualized focusing on enzymatic hydrolysis. The benefits and drawbacks of enzyme immobilization related to biomass conversion are delineated and trends in bioreactors using immobilized enzymes are discussed.

Thermo-chemical conversion of carbonaceous wastes such as tyres, plastics, biomass and crude glycerol is a promising technology compared to traditional waste treatment options (e.g. incineration and landfill).

Illustration of the structures of 2D perovskites and their applications in optoelectronics.

Electrochemical reduction of nitrogen to ammonia is a greener alternative to the Haber–Bosch process. In this review, recent advancement on the defect induced carbon-based electrocatalyst for electroreduction of nitrogen molecule is discussed.

This review evaluated power-to-methanol and its key technologies with detailed analysis from a process system engineering perspective. It offers a holistic view and highlights key gaps and opportunities for improvements.

In this article, the latest research progress on hybrid capacitors using MXene-based materials is assessed based on the modification and composition of MXene-based materials.

Niobium (Nb)-based materials show great potential in the field of SCs and HICsdue to their unique crystal structure, rapid ion diffusion ability, excellent chemical durability, and high safety.

In this paper, we summarize the morphology and pore structure of biomass-derived materials from different precursors and discuss the electrochemical performance of secondary batteries.

Schematic illustration of parametric mapping in membrane-less microfluidic fuel cell (M-MFC) for performance improvement.

This review examines the cost of green ammonia production and intercontinental transport to assess the complete supply chain for energy in a global, decarbonised ammonia economy. It further identifies the major constraints on supply and demand.

This review provides a detailed understanding of the fundamentals, important parameters, advantages, and challenges of electrochemical CO₂ reduction using copper foam and copper foam-derived materials.

Coupling hydrothermal liquefaction with anaerobic digestion can recover between 54 and 99% of the energy contained in organic wastes, while reducing up to 92% of the chemical oxygen demand of the influent stream.

Electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reactions on 2D MoS₂ in an acidic medium.

We believe that meniscus coating will be the most promising and applicable approach for fabricating large-area PSCs and pave the way to commercialization of PSCs in the future.

This review article highlights the current research progress and future prospects of powerful electrode materials for Vanadium Redox Flow Battery (VRFB) applications.

Lignocellulosic biomass has been used as starting materials in the processes of producing biofuels and chemicals.

This review precisely addresses the recent advances in MOF-based photocatalysts for photocatalytic hydrogen production.

This review presents recent advancements in high-voltage rechargeable aqueous batteries employing water-in-salt and modified water-in-salt electrolytes.

Photoinduced organic transformations have stimulated the organic chemistry community to develop light-driven renewed reaction methodologies, which in many cases are complementary to standard thermal catalysis.

Alkaline anion exchange membrane fuel cells (AAEMFC) are attracting ever-increasing attention, as they are promising electrochemical devices for energy production, presenting a viable opponent to proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs).

With the rapid development of biofuels, doubts about their sustainability have also been raised.

Sustainable and accessible energy? Green materials and batteries. We review the latest ecological materials and technologies for off-grid battery applications.

Rechargeable zinc-metal batteries have attracted widespread attention recently as a potential substitute for lithium-ion batteries due to their low cost, large volumetric capacity and the capability to use a safe aqueous electrolyte.

Utilization of mesoporous materials to enhance structure–performance relationship of Fischer–Tropsch catalysts.

Global warming due to the unrestricted release of CO₂ into the atmosphere is a prevalent challenge faced by the 21^st century.

Vortex based hydrodynamic cavitation and anaerobic digestion based sugarcane bagasse biorefineries for revitalising the sugar industry.

Low dimensional (quasi-2D) and mixed dimensional (2D/3D) halide perovskites have emerged in the field of perovskite solar cells.

The development of reactors with varied configurations for the pyrolysis of municipal waste is discussed in this review.

Microwave heating has the potential to promote gas production and tar removal during biomass pyrolysis or gasification based on its advantageous characteristics such as rapid heating and selective heating.